Hi All,
It's been a while since my last post and a few of my feedback message senders have requested that I let them know what is coming up next. I appreciate the feedback I received, so Thank You. A number of the comments will help me in future story development.
A bit of 'Sauce for the Gander' history for those who may be interested. In the original version, which I sent to my editor TeNderLoin, Chapter 8 was a dinner party celebrating the 35th anniversary of the founding of The Rattler. I intended the chapter to be the end of the story and the chapter would have filled everyone in on what happened from where Part 1 ended. TeNderLoin said NO! ... Bad Author! ... Don't end it that way. I listened to him so there will be a Part 2.
I decided that I have too many ongoing serial stories. I can't support all of them in a timely manner, so I will be concluding the majority of the current serials as quickly as I can. Opening Earth and possibly Time Scope will continue. I should be able to manage 2 concurrent serials, so if you have a preference as to which stories should continue beyond their next Part, let me know.
Right now, I'm working on The Ark, Part 2. Part 1 included Jon's intended plan for reclaiming the US. My plans for now are to cover Jon's initial efforts in reclaiming the now battered US territory. How far I go in describing the reclamation and the number of Parts that will comprise is still under consideration. However, my current intent is to end the story with Part 2.
My writing pattern is to focus on one story. During the development of that story, I sometimes need a break and will work on a second story. Right now, I have at least 2 non-serial, multi-chapter stories that are almost complete. I will probably complete and post at least one of those stories before I finish Part 2 of The Ark
My In-Process Stories include:
An Old Man's Lament - A short story about a 70-year old man reminiscing about his past life and the problems he faces with planning the rest of his life.
Caveman Courtship - Hopefully, a humorous story about "Getting Married" way back when. Have you ever wondered 'Why does the bridegroom have a Best Man?' The story is based on current courtship, engagement, and marriage practices and provides a rationale for why those practices exist.
Officer Symms - A D-Hopping Universe story about the life of a female, Multiverse Police Officer. Currently, just an idea that I plan to develop.
Opening Earth, Part 3 - Doug had hoped to delay revelation of certain facts about the Multiverse's culture until Earth's people were more accepting of certain differences (i.e., marital, religious, legal, technological, etc.) between the two cultures. His marriage and honeymoon has made some of those differences known and the international media has spread the specifics of the differences around the world. In addition to his regular problems, a small but very vocal segment of the population are making and implementing plans that will make life even more difficult for Doug. Not to mention a future business rival who wants him dead.
Please Don't Help Me - just an idea for a story about a man who feels and acts on a compulsion to help solve other peoples' problems.
Sam's Hopping - A D-Hopping Universe story about the life of a young man who gains the D-Hop ability as a teenager. The story begins with his life on an unsophisticated, non-industrial Multiverse planet, and it describes aspects of the training he receives to become a D-Hopper, his work as a D-Hopper on his home planet, and starting his own D-Hopping business.
Sauce for the Gander, Part 2 - Carl has collected his lottery winnings. Now he needs to build his publishing empire so he can "explain" to the media why publishing the details of his private life and harassing him was a bad idea.
The Footlocker - During WW II, the Nazi Party looted Europe sending their loot back to Germany. The story has a historical basis and describes the adventures of a young man who befriends an elderly woman. The early chapters focus on the woman's past life and the life of her husband from the time he was college student, who was enamored by Hitler's ideology, until his death as a US citizen to include aspects of his life as a disillusioned senior officer in the Nazi group responsible for storing/hiding the valuables the Nazis looted from Europe. What the woman and her husband did prior to, during, and after WW II and how the young man 'inherits' responsibility for the loot still hidden away is the premise of the story.
The Pink Monkey Chronicles - A 'Conspiracy Theory Story'. Have you ever looked at a graphic representation of the ' Homo Sapiens' Family Tree'. If you just consider the history of our Genus, Homo, all of the sub-branches of the family tree just ended. But What-If one of those 'dead' branches didn't end. What-If the members of that supposedly 'dead' branch were superior to another branch of the tree and found it necessary to hide their existence. What-If that superior branch is still in existence and hiding among our Homo Sapiens branch of the family tree. That is the premise of The PM Chronicles.
Time Scope 3 - The Altarians have landed and the world is aware of their existence and some of their abilities and intentions. Now Jed and Alicia must mediate a treaty between the Altarians and Earth's politicians. Two average people must step in and control the World's Political Leadership. However, they have been given a 'big stick' so the job is not as impossible as it may seem.
Tom the Troll - Just an idea for a fictitious story about Internet Trolls and their victims. Loosely based on my personal experience with disgruntled readers of my SOL stories and similar stories told by other authors.